CHAPTER 17: EMPTY SLOTS

Wade yawned as he left his room, rubbing the last traces of sleep from his eyes.

The morning sun was already slipping in through the narrow windows of the guild dormitory, throwing thin lines of gold across the stone corridor.

His body felt lighter than yesterday, though his head was still wrapped in that strange fog of fatigue.

Rowan had called it "resetting," and Wade hoped it would fade soon.

As he walked, he mentally summoned his inventory.

The familiar golden panel flickered into existence before him.

[Inventory Slots: 6]

[Slot 1: Coin Pouch]

[Slot 2: Emberleaf Bundle]

[Slot 3: Bag of Yeast]

[Slot 4: Barrel (Empty)]

[Slot 5: Empty]

[Slot 6: Empty]

Wade’s mouth twisted into a half grin.

He’d spent some time yesterday gathering some things he’d need for the mead. He’d gotten himself a sturdy barrel to house the whole thing, and some yeast.

It had taken a significant cut of the money he had left, but it was worth it.

However, the most important ingredient wasn’t there yet. The honey.

Mead without honey was just sour water. He would need to make time later to source some, either from merchants or directly from the beekeepers he’d heard about on the edge of the city.

Closing the panel, Wade headed into the mess hall. He moved through the small crowd and joined the queue.

After getting his food, he headed to their usual table.

It was already occupied. Ingrid sat there, her back straight, and as usual, her bow propped neatly beside her chair.

She quietly ate her breakfast, eyes half-lidded as if the crowded hall didn’t exist.

"Morning," Wade said, sliding his tray onto the table.

Ingrid looked up briefly, gave him a small nod, and returned to her food.

They ate in silence, the only sounds between them the scrape of spoons against bowls and the occasional creak of the bench.

Wade didn’t mind. After everything, silence was almost comfortable.

Rowan arrived not long after, his tray balanced on one hand, a bright grin across his face.

"Morning, you two," he said cheerfully, sliding into the seat opposite Wade. "Sleep well?"

Wade shrugged. "Could’ve been better."

Ingrid, true to form, gave no answer.

Rowan chuckled, unbothered. "I slept like a stone. Best day off I’ve had in weeks."

He picked up his spoon, shoveling porridge into his mouth. "I tell you, sleeping through a whole day feels better than a victory feast."

Wade couldn’t help grinning at that. "Glad you enjoyed yourself."

Rowan winked. "You should try it sometime. No dungeons, no captains yelling at you, and no slimes trying to melt your face off. Just sleep."

As the three of them ate quietly, Wade’s mind was on something else.

Sebastian had said they would soon be delving into the dungeons. Four occupied inventory slots was a problem.

That meant he’d need to free up space in his inventory, or add more slots in order to carry loot. For now, loot was much more important than his ingredients.

He tapped the side of his bowl, considering. He needed more slots eventually, or at least somewhere safer to store things.

His mind flicked back to the bundle of emberleaf and the barrel. Leaving something like that in the dorms felt risky.

The guild controlled everything here. Could they check on his belongings without him knowing? The idea didn’t seem that farfetched.

"Rowan," Wade said suddenly, looking across the table. "What’s it cost to rent an apartment in the city?"

Rowan blinked, then tilted his head thoughtfully. "Depends where you want to live. Near the guilds, close to the markets, or in the outer districts."

"Give me all of it," Wade nodded.

Rowan set down his spoon, leaning forward slightly. "Alright. Near the guild towers, it’s safe and convenient, but noisy. You’re looking at 50 gold coins per week, with a deposit of 70. It’s definitely not cheap."

"In the market district, prices vary. 35 a week for a small room above a shop, 60 or more if you want proper space."

"Then there are the outer districts, farther from the center, cheaper, but less safe. 20 a week, sometimes less, though you’ll be dealing with more... problems. Like thieves or rats."

Wade whistled softly. Even the cheapest option would bleed his coins dry if he wasn’t careful.

Still, the thought of having a place of his own, where the guild’s eyes couldn’t pry, was tempting.

He nodded slowly. "Thanks. I’ll think about it."

Rowan smiled. "Thinking is free. Just don’t wait too long. Apartments near the guild go quickly."

Before Wade could answer, a familiar heavy step sounded behind him. Sebastian’s shadow fell across the table as he set his tray down with a thud.

"Morning," Sebastian said in his deep voice, nodding at each of them before lowering himself onto the bench.

"Morning," Rowan and Wade echoed. Ingrid merely gave another nod.

Sebastian wasted no time. After tearing off a piece of bread, he looked up at them. "Good news. I’ve secured us entry into a dungeon."

Wade blinked. His spoon froze halfway to his mouth. "Already?"

"Already," Sebastian said with a grin. "But don’t worry, we’re not throwing you into the deep end. Since you’re new, we’ll be taking it slow."

Rowan leaned forward, interested. "Which one?"

"The Shattered Hall," Sebastian said. "Entry is cleared for tomorrow morning."

Wade set down his spoon, interested. "The Shattered Hall?"

Sebastian nodded. "It’s a dungeon in the appearance of an old ruin. Complete with cracked stone halls, and broken mirrors everywhere."

"The monsters there are mirror wraiths. Spirits that live inside reflections. Nasty if you don’t know how to deal with them, but manageable with teamwork."

Rowan’s grin widened. "And of course, there’s the loot."

"Reflection based skill stones," Sebastian said. "Some of the most popular on the market. Skills like [Mirror Step], [Double Image], even [Echo Strike]."

"Adventurers not of Lion’s Guild pay a fortune for them. If we’re lucky, we might come back with something valuable."

Rowan laughed, clapping his hands once. "Not bad. Profit and training in one trip."

Wade leaned back slightly, absorbing it all. Mirror wraiths. Reflections. Skill stones.

The guild taxed everything, but even so, the potential for profit was there. And the Shattered Hall sounded less like a deathtrap than the swamp had been.

"Don’t get ahead of yourself," Sebastian warned, tearing another bite from his bread. "The wraiths will test your nerves. They move fast, and their illusions can trick even veterans. Keep your eyes open, and don’t swing at shadows."

Wade nodded, his chest tightening with both nerves and anticipation. This would be his first real dungeon. A place where adventurers rose or fell.

Rowan raised his cup, smirking. "To the Shattered Hall, then."

Ingrid lifted her cup silently, Sebastian grinned, and Wade found himself smiling despite the feeling in his chest.

He raised his own cup, the clink of clay against clay sealing the moment.

Tomorrow, he would step into a dungeon.

A/N: Are you enjoying the story so far? If so, don’t forget to leave a review or power stones. It’ll warm my very cold heart.